Anti-China Unrest in Vietnam

Anti-China rioting in has resulted in the deaths of 21 people, as protesters set fire to industrial parks, factories, and attacked police and Chinese and Taiwanese workers in central Vietnam. The riots targeting Chinese industry are part of an on-going conflict between China and Vietnam over disputed sea territory. Many Vietnamese feel that Chinese business interests are exploiting raw materials in the country and its sea, and deep-seated tensions between Vietnam and China can be traced back to Chinese colonization of Vietnam that ended in the 10th century. The recent on-land violence was sparked by the positioning of a Chinese oil rig in a disputed area of the South China sea claimed by Vietnam. The unrest has driven several Chinese businesses and many Chinese and Taiwanese nationals from the country for fear of violence.